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Battery startup Amprius says it has developed batteries capable of storing twice as much energy as anything on the market today, thanks to nanostructured silicon electrodes. The company says it is partnering with several as-yet unnamed major consumer electronics manufacturers to bring the batteries to market by early 2012. The batteries will allow portable electronics to run 40 percent longer without a recharge.
Amprius also says it is working with several major automakers who are evaluating the electrode materials for use in batteries for electric vehicles. The company is not yet disclosing these commercial partners, either.
When a lithium-ion battery is charged, lithium ions move from its cathode to its anode, while electrons flow in through an external electrical circuit. The process is reversed during discharge. The more lithium the anode can take in, the more total energy the battery can store, and the longer it can last. For the past 30 years, lithium-ion batteries have used carbon anodes. With no new materials, the total energy storage of these batteries has improved by only about 7 percent every year due to incremental engineering refinements.
Silicon has 10 times the theoretical lithium storage capacity of the carbon used to make battery anodes, but it’s been difficult for researchers to make it into a practical battery electrode. As large volumes of lithium ions move in and out of the material during charge and discharge, silicon swells and cracks.
Conventional carbon anodes are made using large roll-to-roll systems. Kottenstette acknowledges that the vacuum deposition technique used for silicon nanowires will be more expensive. However, once potential manufacturing issues are ironed out, the company expects the boost in storage capacity to make up for the increased cost. The company is also working on a roll-to-roll vapor-deposition system. “Making it compatible with current processes is important to us,” says Kottenstette.
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Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.